Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	day_n	lord_n	see_v	3,711	5	3.5921	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25834	Secret and family prayers with brief helps for the more devout receiving of the Lords-Supper And better observation of the Lords-day, as also to further the needfull duties of catechizing, visiting the sick, and personal instruction. Fitted for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of Cartmel in Lancashire.	Armstrong, John, 1634 or 5-1698.	1677 (1677)	Wing A3708A; ESTC R214879	44,221	112

Secret and Family PRAYERS With brief Helps for the more Devout RECEIVING OF THE Lords-Supper And better Observation of the LORDS-DAY as also to further the needfull Duties of Catechizing Visiting the Sick and Personal Instruction Fitted for the Use and Benefit of the Inhabitants of Cartmel in Lancashire If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them S. John 13. 17. CAMBRIDGE Printed by J. Hayes for the Author 1677. June 15. 1677. Imprimatur Tho. Page Procan Ri. Minshull Theoph. Dillingham Rad. Cudworth THE PREFACE AND EPISTLE To my loving Neighbours and Pastoral Charge HAving now for a long time observed not only your frugal charitable and industrious way of Living as to the World but moreover in reference to many of you your more pious Care for the good Education of your Children and your own Spiritual Welfare as also your maintaining Order and Unity above many others in the Worship of God this hath been unto me and I hope shall continue to be the cause of no little joy and contentment of heart Yet having withall seen some among us hitherto not so diligent as they ought to be either in keeping holy the Lords Day or in receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper or in sending for the Minister to visit them when sick or in improving when in health the duty of Catechising and Personal Instruction that both themselves and those who live with or under them might be better informed in the Ways of God I have in the ensuing Book as to each of these respects hinted those things which if duely considered may prove a sutable and seasonable Remedy And particularly because as to the promoting of Religion in each Houshold there is a more general want of Family-Prayers too easie to be taken notice of I have herein especially endeavoured to make provision for the performance of that part of your Duty There are I hope but few so negligent of their own Welfare as not to consider how natural and necessary it is for all reasonable creatures by Prayer and Thanksgiving to acknowledge God in al● their ways and to give him the Glory du● unto his Name for all the benefits they receive from him and to seek his Blessing upon what ever they undertake and daily to recommend themselves and all their concerns to his continued Grace and good Providence There may be more who having helps put into their hands for this purpose will not so much as find leasure to make use of them as if this would not indeed rather further then hinder their lawfull Affairs or as if they could have any greater and weightier business then thus to seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near Or as if when the most in a Family will both find time and get together twice a day for set meals for their Bodies they should not much rather strive to do so once at the least for set and solemn Prayer in order to their Souls eternal Happiness If your estate be more plentifull you may spare the more time if your condition be meaner on Earth you have more need to seek by Christ a Treasure in Heaven Say not therefore you are to provide for Wife and Family and so have no time to regard your Soul by a solemn and serious performance of Duties but remember that the same God who commands you to follow your particular Callings as Men injoins you likewise to follow your general Callings as Christians and that in the first place Seek first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness ousness thereof and all other things shall be added unto you And also with the greatest labour S. John 6. 27. Labour not i. e. not only for the food that perisheth but chiefly for the food that endureth to Everlasting Life Should we pray to God every day in the week not once or twice but many times for eternall Blessedness and continue to do so with greatest earnestness while our life and breath is continued if but once this Petition at last be granted us will it not be richly worth our pains and fully requite all that we have done Or having every Work-day in the week 23 hours and an half to eat and drink and work and sleep in is it any great matter to redeem half an hour or a quarter of an hours time wherein to work out our Salvation to prepare our Souls for Death Judgement and Eternity to read some portion of Gods Word and to praise him for the Mercies we have received and to Pray unto him for such as we have need of If a mans house were in a flame he would not let it burn and say I have no time to quench it If a Neighbour call us to sit at our doors to talk or dine with them we can find leasure for it When therefore the Blessed God calls upon us to be diligent this way among others to make our Calling and Election sure should we foolishly say that we have no time for this though indeed one of the main Works which we were sent into the World about Oh let not such vain excuses keep us from our Duty lest the Righteous God for our pretending now want of time to serve him in be provoked at last to give us an Eternity to suffer in Others I fear will be ready to make light of these Helps because of their groundless prejudices against all Book-Prayers not rightly understanding either their benefit or lawfulness but I beseech you let it be well considered how many Christian Duties and Vertues we may be daily put in mind of by these Prayers which if we strive to follow with answerable Practices as we ought to do and as we hereby beg of God to enable us to do surely this course must in all reason be allowed to have a very considerable influence into our more Holy and Circumspect Walking Besides you know how natural it is to all Mankind when they have any petitions or thanks to prefer but to an earthly King to take good advice beforehand that they may be delivered in as decent and grave form of words and as reverent a manner as may be certainly then Christians in this respect should be much more carefull if possible how they present the desires of their Hearts to the most High God the Eternal Majesty of Heaven and Earth But alas with many such have been the licentious Rambles of their fancy in suddain Prayer so bold and rude have their descriptions been of Almighty God so rash their Sayings concerning him or concerning themselves and so many untrue or doubtfull things have they uttered that they have not only shamed that way of address to God but dishonoured and hindered true Christian Devotion which hath suffered extremely in the thoughts of many by such extravagance And some as experience hath shewn finding that they could not pray in their Families ex tempore or on the sudden as they have been urged